The use of traditional manufacturing techniques is rapidly moving toward digital manufacturing. Additive or subtractive manufacturing (herein collectively, 3D printing) provides many advantages over traditional manufacturing techniques. For example, intricate structural designs that could not be formed previously using conventional techniques may be formed using 3D printing. Further, 3D printing provides a cost-effective method for manufacturing batch sizes as small as a single unit. Designs may be created using computer-aided design (CAD) software by an end user, or a user may download web-based software instructions to create a needed repair part or desired decorative structure at home or small business. Different print heads can add a plurality of different materials to the object being created (e.g. rubber, plastics, paper, polyurethane-like materials, metals, etc.).
Some 3D printed substructures may require assembly with other substructures after printing. For example, a 3D printed substructure may be attached to one or more other 3D printed substructures, to one or more conventionally manufactured substructure, or to both, using an adhesive. For assembly, two or more 3D printed structures may be transported after printing to an assembly station where an adhesive is manually applied to one or both substructures. The structures are then assembled using the adhesive to secure the two or more structures together.
A 3D printed structure and method that allows more rapid or convenient assembly of parts would be desirable.